Year of Award
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Degree Name
Creative Writing (Fiction)
Department or School/College
English
Committee Chair
Emily Ruskovich
Commitee Members
Erin Saldin, Eric Zimmer
Publisher
University of Montana
Subject Categories
Fiction
Abstract
Beulahland follows Esther and Beulah Baxter, a pair of orphaned sisters traveling across the American west with their evangelist uncle in 1994. Raised on the seedy motivational speaking circuit of small towns and youth groups, Esther is determined to free Beulah from this nomadic way of life under from the neglectful care of their uncle August, a fame-chasing bodybuilder who wants to bring the world to God through his demonstrations of physical strength. This plan is put on hold when Beulah falls ill during a routine performance in the wildfire-wracked town of Orchard, Washington, and almost dies; her near-death experience and miraculous recovery sets in motion a series of unexplainable events that turn her into a local celebrity nearly overnight. Beulah’s newfound miraculous powers hold Orchard in thrall and give August a renewed sense of purpose as an evangelist, but they create myriad problems for Esther, who must grapple with her own lack of faith and a fracturing sense of loyalty to her family, her newfound camaraderie with a local girl named Zoe, and her responsibility as a caretaker and sister to Beulah.
Recommended Citation
Nelson, Emily Ann Marie, "Beulahland: A Novel" (2023). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12137.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12137
Included in
© Copyright 2023 Emily Ann Marie Nelson